Garbage disposal apparatus



`Marsh 31, 1959 H. JORDAN GARBAGE DISPOSAL APPARATUS Filed Dec. 5, 1954 2 Shegts-She'et 1 /A/l/E/v Tw?. HA N5 .TOQDAN United States Patent O 2,879,949 GARBAGE DISPOSAL APPARATUS This invention relates to means for the disposal of waste, and more particularly household culinary waste or garbage, the invention involving the grinder type of disposal apparatus. i

Various objects of the invention are to provide for substantially vibrationless suspension of a garbage grinder from a sink at the drain opening thereof through which waste is fed to the grinder; to provide novel and etiicient means of connection between the sink and a housing carrying the grinding means; to provide novel and efficient grinding means within the housing; to provide in the grinding means a self-cleaning structure; to provide for satisfactory blocking off of noises rising from the grinder through the sink drain opening during operation; to provide means for preventing splash from the grinding chamber upward to the sink; and to provide novel and efficient stopper means to close the drain opening of the sink when desired.

The above and other objects are accomplished, for example, by that form of disposal apparatus disclosed in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is principally a vertical transverse section through disposal means of this invention, showing especially the connection and suspension means by which the disposal device is carried from a kitchen sink and also showing antisplash means and improved grinding means;

Fig. 1A is a fragmentary elevation of a modification p of the grind ring seen in Fig. 1;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section showing a modied form of mounting for a splash guard;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional detail of a modification of the mounting or suspension means; i

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1 to illustrate a construction and arrangement of a flanged metallic supportingring, its relation to a resilient rubber suspension ring, and structural features ofthe antisplash guard and a movable hand guard;

Fig. 5 is an edge elevation of the rotary grinding table or cutting head per se;

Fig. 6 is a vertical Fig. 5; f

Fig. 7 is a line 7--7 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional detail showing the relationship of cutting and grinding means seen at the left of Fig. 6;

. Fig. 9 is a bottom plan view of the stopper shown in Fig. 1', and

Fig. 10 is a vertical crossk section of the stopper of Fig. 1.

The disposal device illustrated comprises an outer, upper circular housing 10 which is adapted to be sus-v pended at the under side of a kitchen sink 11 from the usual or a preferred ilanged sleeve 12 whose ange 12a is supported at the outlet opening of the sink. Such suspension of the housing 10 is effected section taken on the line 6-6 of fragmentary plan view as indicated by the i through the medium l to absorb mechanical vibration and ice i of mounting means generally to be described more fully), and a resilient rubber suspension ring 14 whose upper end is attached to the mounting means 13 and whose lower end is fixed to the top portion of a neck 15 constituting the upper end of the housing 10, such aftixing being effected asI through the means of spring clips 16, together with vulcanization if required. By these means of attachment of the upper and lower ends of the suspension ring 14, the intermediate portion of the ring 14 thus becomes means freely suspending the housing 10 and contained parts, whereby l prevent any metalto-metal contact between the housing 10 and the sink 11. By such arrangement of parts7 the suspension ring 14 and the housing neck 15 provide a throat 18 for the introduction of culinary waste to be ground and water to flush the ground waste.

Secured in any appropriate manner to the lower end of the housing 10 is a lower housing member 20 whose lower portion constitutes a casing for an electric motor having a drive shaft 21 (see also Fig. 6) which extends upwardly through and is packed at 21a in a top wall 22 constituting the upper portion of the resulting motorenclosing shell. Upon the upper end of the motor shaft 21 there is secured a rotary, circular grinder table or cutter head which is generally indicated at 24 and which is provided with a plurality of pivoted iiipper-like cutters 25, constructed'and arranged as later to be described. The rotary head 24 is thus enclosed Within the upper portion of the housing member 20 and immediately above the u'pper wall of the housing member 20, the latter is provided with an integral discharge neck 26 or the like to be connected to a waste plumbing system as hereinafter described as by a rubber ring 27.

The upper edge of the rotary cutter head 24 ts rather closely and in grinding relationship within the extreme lower end of an inner housing section 30, and the ipper cutters 25 operate entirely within such inner housing section 30, which section encloses a comminuting chamber 32 and is composed of an upper circular housing member 33 and a lower frusto-conical housing member 34 which constitutes a grind ring with which the ipper` indicated at 13 (presently cutters 25 co-operate to comminute garbage and similar waste. The grind ring 34 is provided on its inner surface-with a plurality 'of upright series of fixed, integral, sharpedged,inwardly projecting cutter lugs 35 preferably having somewhat irregular dispositions and configurations which facilitate the grinding action of the ipper cutters 25 under centrifugal movement imparted to them by the rotation of the cutter head 24. The lower end of the grind ring 34 is seated and sealed at 36 in an annular groove in the upper end of the lower housing member 20. The upper chamber member 33 is seated and sealed at 37 in a contracted portion of the upper housing 10, the lower edge of the member 33 and the upper edge of the grind ring 34 being intertted by appropriate angel and-groove means 38.

'.The inwardly projecting cutter lugs 35, although irregular in shape and disposition, preferably project uniformly into the comminuting chamber 32, and they are machined to provide adequately sharp edges for shearing waste material being ground yunder the inuence of the rotating cutters 25. Generally vertical channels 'are provided by the upright series of the lugs 35, at least adjacent the lower portion ofthe grind ring 34. Waste material being ground works downward through these channels to the lower edge of the grind ring 34 where it is discharged below the lower edge of the grind ring through a plurality of short, narrow, vertical discharge orices 40 (Figs. 1 and 8) that are cut radially outward and downward in the ring 34. Around the lower edge 22. At one side of such upper portionA of the grind ring 34, there is provided a shallow, annular, inwardly directed tlange structure 42 which is interrupted by the various discharge orifices 40. This flange structure has in general the effect ledge or shelf which tends to support material being a plate or ring 46 on the In the form of construction shown, a saucer-like disc 48 with a struck-up central dome 48a overlies the ring 46, and underlies annular tlange 50a which is located relatively close to the upper wall 22 of generally parallel to the ad- ]acent face of the grind ring 34 at mounted in for example, is limited by an appropriate stop 56 (Fig. 7) which 1s conveniently formed by a struck-up portion ing box extending upward the rotary table material thrown p through such 50.` As indicated above, centrifugally against the opening from if hard waste cutter lugs 35.

loading the cutter with spring means. Such spring action is not essential, but, if used, may be accomplished by a torsion spring 57 (Fig. l) which is disposed in a well 58 in the table 50 surrounding the bearing for the pivot pin 55. Here the lower end of the spring 57 is seated in the table 50 and the other end of the spring is seated in the under side of the respective cutter 25, the correficiently enlarged to cover the respective well 58 as well as the metal constituting the bearing for the pivot pin 55.

the top wall disposal device has been operby keep the table free from interference with rotation produces, According to one v I I annular flange 50a of the rotating table 50, and such elongated notches extended in each instance for about with a depth at the deep end 59a (Fig. 5) in the order of an eighth of an inch to two tenths of an inch where the diameter of the rotating table 50 approximates six inches. The cut through the depending flange 50a at the shoulder 59a of the notch 59 may be approximately on a radius, but preferably it is at a smaller angle to facilitate discharge of material that tends to accumulate under the side of the flange 50a. Of course, a greater number of notches which would be of shorter length could be em- In` an apparatus having a rotary table of the indicatedv size, the discharge orifices 40 in the bottom of the grind.

ring 34 may have a width 1n the order of one tenth. to one sixth inch, the heights and depths being adequate to receive material ground to pass the indicated width.

In order to prevent splashing integral with the rubber ring greater proportion of the diaphragm being' 14, so that it spans the area of the throat 18, the provided at its center with a relatively tenth to 62 running back from the opening 61 most of the dis'- tance to the edge of the diaphragm.

` Instead of making the diphragm 60 integral with the bber suspension ring 14 as shown in Fig. l, the diaphragm may be removable, as indicated in Fig. 2, the diaphragm having an enlarged relatively stiff rim member 63 which is removably seated in an annular groove 64 provided in the inner wall of the ring 14. With this construction the diaphragm 60 may be snapped in and out of place as desired. If necessary, the rim 63 may be reinforced as with a split steel wire 63a.

Also, it is sometimes desirable to provide means for preventing the human hand from being introduced below the diaphragm 60 and down into the grinding chamber 32 while grinding operations are proceeding. For this preventive purpose, a metallic ring `65 of appreciably smaller diameter than the throat 18 and such as to prevent the passage of a human hand therethrough is pivoted at one side of the throat in the upper end of the housing neck 15 in ears 66 which may be integral with such neck and carry a pivot pin 67 connected to the ring 65 by a bracing bracket arm 68. Thus in order to make it possible to introduce the human hand into the grinding chamber 32, it is necessary to raise the ring 65 up into the dotted line position.

The sleeve 12 previously mentioned is preferably a stamped thin stainless steel member which is, for example, only about 0.025 inch to 0.04 inch thick, or in preferred specific instances 0.037 inch thick, as against the usual thickness of brass or steel sleeves of about 0.093 inch. The thin sleeve of this improvement is thus inexpensive to manufacture, and it is at the same time highly durable and efiicient. In addition to the ange 12a, the sleeve 12 is provided at its lower end with an inwardly rolled annular channel member or bead 70 which provides on its upper side a seat 71 for a stopper 72, the lower end 73 of the sleeve 12 being turned down substantially in line with the body portion of the sleeve above the lbead 70, thus providing externally a re-entrant or outwardly directed groove which receives a snap ring 74 constituting a part of the previously mentioned mounting 13. The mounting 13 also includes a rigid mounting ring 75 which preferably is metallic and has an internal diameter to slide up over the lsleeve 12 when placing the snap ring 74 in the re-entrant groove and being at the same time smaller than the external diameter of the snap ring 74 so that it will rest thereon when dropped into the operative position shown. The outer annular por tion of the mounting ring 75 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced bolt holes which are internally threaded to receive bolts 76 whose lower ends extend downward through preferably unthreaded holes, and in one position a. slot, in an underlying supporting ring, the bolts 76 having nuts 76a on their lower ends to retain the parts in assembled relation. The periphery of the mounting ring 75 is provided with a depending stop ange 77 which can engage an opposing upstanding stop flange 78 on the above mentioned supporting ring which ring is designated at 80. The inner upper edge of the supporting ring 80 engages under the outer lower edge of a transversely positioned steel suspending flange or ring 82 whichy is vulcanized into the upper external portion of the resilient suspension ring 14. When the nuts 76a are turned up on the bolts 76 to bind the parts together, thus compressing the upper portion of the resilient suspension ring 14 above the suspending ring 82, undue compression of such upper portion of the suspension ring 14 will be prevented upon engagement of the stop flanges 77 and 78. It is to be noted that, in the form shown in Fig. l, the lower end 73 of the sleeve 12 ts within the upper extremity of the rubber suspension ring 14 so as to effect a seal which may be further insured by engagement of the top surface of such upper end with the under surface of the snap ring 74. The heads of the bolts 76 are made to bear against the under side of a metal washer 83 whereby to compress an overlying cushioning and sealing ring or washer 84. If desired, the bolt heads may be positioned by means of integral upstanding centering studs 85 which are received in correspondingly spaced holes in the washer 83 adjacent its periphery.

The above-mentioned holes in the ring 80 are indicated at 86 in Fig. 4 and the mentioned slot in the ring 80 is indicated at 88 in Fig. 4, the two indicated holes and the slot being preferably equidistantly spaced. The use of the slot 88 in conjunction with the two holes 86 presents a considerable advantage in that, with the respective nut 76a in position on its bolt 76, the edges of the radial slot 88 may be passed alongside the bolt and over such nut 76a so that a considerable proportion of the weight of the housing 10 and its contained units is supported upon such nut while the two holes 86 are being positioned over the other two bolts 76 into assembled positions so that their nuts 76a may be applied and screwed up into place to bind the parts together. As above stated, the flanges 77 and 78 prevent excessive compression of the portion of the suspension ring 14 above the metallic 82.

As previously indicated, the lower end of the resilient suspension ring 14 is clamped to the neck 15 at the upper end of the housing 10, as vulcanization of the lower end of the ring 14 to the upper end of the neck 15 being also employed if desired. In

suspending ring ,the use of the clips 16, the upper ends of these are shown as being inwardly offset at 90 to overhang an annular` ange 91 integral with the lower end of the resilient ring 14, the lower ends of the clips 16 depending down alongside the neck 15 and being inturned to provide hook members 92 which snap under an external shoulder 94 formed by undercutting the outer wall of the neck 15 to provide a downwardly and outwardly directed groove 95.

A somewhat differentsuspension of the grinder housing 10 is illustrated in Fig. 3 in which the ring 75 is threaded on a conventional threaded sleeve 12, the resilient suspension ring 14 is omitted, and the neck 15 at the top of the housing 10 is carried up close to the ring 75, being separated therefrom only by a relatively thin rubber annulus 96 with which the antisplash diaphragm 60 is integrally connected through the medium of a depending ange portion 96a. In this construction, the supporting ring 80 is spaced below the suspending ring 82 and lies alongside the outer wall of the neck 15. The suspending ring 82 is thus carried in an annular groove in the upper end of the housing neck 15, and, in order to provide a cushioned support, an upstanding annular rubber supporting ring 98 is interposed below the suspending ring 82 and above the upper face of the supporting ring 80. Compression of both the rubber supporting ring 98 and the cushioning annulus 96 is limited by the depending ange 77 on the connecting ring 75 and the upstanding ange 78 on the supporting ring 80 as in the construction of Fig. l.

A very desirable stopper 72 which is to'be employed in conjunction with the stopper seat 71 at the lower end of the sink outlet sleeve 12 is illustrated in Figs. l, 9 and l0. This stopper 72 comprises a stainless steel cap member 100 having a rolled rim 101 which receives an annular bead 102 at the top of a molded rubber closure member 104. Spaced immediately below the rim 1011is a thin seating web or n 105 which rests upon the stopper seat 71 when the stopper is in closing position. The closure member 104 has depending therefrom a cylindrical wall element 106, from various portions of the outer wall of which small rubber studs 108 project laterally, these serving to support the assembled stopper in elevated position on the seat 71 of the annular channel member 70 in water-draining position, or upon transverse detents 109, and being deformable upon pressing the stopper down to pass below the member 70 for seating of the web 105 on the seat 71 in sealing position to close the sink outlet. The over-all diameters of the cap member 100,

by means of spring clips 16,-

which has an integral lifting knob 110, and the closure member 104 are less than the internal diameter of the sleeve 12 so as to pass water when the studs 108 rest in elevated position on the seat 71.

It will be observed from the above description that a durable and eicient disposer has been produced. The axes of the inclined pivot pins 55 are located about half way between. the operative positions of the outer edges of the cutters 25, and the co-operating cutter lugs 35 adjacent such cutters are in part arranged so that arcuate flanges 42 underlie vertical spaces between vertical rows of such lugs on the inclined wall of the frusto-conical grind ring 34. By the indicated inclinations of these parts and the top of the rotary table 50, efficient grinding is eiectnally accomplished.

I claim as my invention:

l. In combination in a garbage disposal machine: a housing member having an upper tubular end for reception of garbage to be ground and providing a grinding chamber; a grind ring around said chamber at the lower end thereof; a motor connected with said housing; a rotary grinder member connected with said motor and located at the lower end of said grind ring; movable cutter members eccentrically pivoted on said grinder member and movable centrifugally into juxtaposition to said grind ring, said movable cutter members being mounted on approximately vertical pivots, said ring having orifices to discharge ground material from said chamber; a plurality of inwardly projecting grind lugs on the inner wall of said grind ring, cooperating with said cutter members and including elongated inclined overlapping grind ribs extending around said ring, the inclination directing waste material downward toward said orifices; and discharge means adjacent said grinder member to discharge ground material from the machine.

2. In sleeve andl stopper means for a sink drain opening: a sleeve to be supported in such opening; an inwardly directed annular stopper seat member adjacent the lower end of said sleeve; and a stopper to be borne upon said seat, said stopper including a rigid cap member having a downwardly and inwardly turned peripheral hollow bead providing an inwardly directed channel and an annular resilent seating means carried on the under side of said cap member and having an integral solid bead snapped into said channel and an annular sealing fin underlying said inturned bead, said seating means having integral laterally directed spaced yicldable projections to rest upon said seat member to hold said stopper elevated for passage of liquid and deformable to pass below said seat member for engagement of said resilient seating means upon said annular seat member to close said sleeve against liquid flow, said cap member and seating means having smaller diameters than the internal diameter of said sleeve but greater than the inner diameter of said seat.

3. In a sleeve and stopper combination for a sink drain opening: a thin steel sleeve too thin to receive substantial threading and of uniform thickness throughout to be supported in such opening and having near its lower end an inwardly rolled integral bead providing at its upper side a seat for a stopper and providing an externally directed flattened annular groove; ring means removablyv supported in said groove and extending outward therefrom; supporting means carried by said ring means and including means to suspend a garbage grinder or the like therefrom; and a resilient rubber suspension ring attached to its upper end only to said suspending means and sleeve and attached at its lower end only to supporting means for said garbage grinder.

4. A combination as in claim 3 including a water-passing anti-splash diaphragm removably snapped into position in an internal seat in said rubber suspension ring.

5. In a sleeve and stopper combination for a sink drain opening: a thin steel sleeve too thin to receive substantial threading and of uniform thickness throughto be supported in said sink drain opening and having near its lower end an inwardly rolled integral bead providing at its upper inner side a seat for a stopper and providing an externally directed attened annular groove and approximating 0.025 to 0.04 inch in thickness; ring means removably supported in said groove and extending outward therefrom; and supporting means carried by said ring means and including means to suspend a garbage grinder or the like therefrom and from. said sleeve.

6. A sleeve for a sink drain opening formed of thin stainless steel having a uniform thickness throughout of about 0.025 to 0.04 inch thick and having an integral inwardly directed flattened channel member rolled therethrough near its lower end providing an outwardly directed groove and an inwardly directed portion, the outwardly directed groove formed to receive a supporting ring for a suspended disposal device, said steel being too thin to receive substantial threading for support of the sleeve member and of an object therefrom; and a supporting snap ring received in said outwardly directed groove, the entire lower face of said groove being substantially at to support said ring under load the upper face of said groove engaging the top of said snap ring.

7. In a waste disposal device, the combination of: a thin steel sleeve, too thin to receive substantial threading and of uniform thickness throughout, adapted to be supported in a sink ldrain opening, having at its upper end an outwardly ared ange, and having near its lower end an inwardly rolled horizontally projecting integral bead providing an externally directed annular groove, said sleeve approximating 0.025 to 0.04 inch in thickness; a load bearing member removably supported in said groove with an inner portion snugly fitted within the groove and an outer portion extending radially outward therefrom; and supporting means carried by said load bearing member and including means to suspend a garbage grinder or the like therefrom and from said sleeve, the weight being suspended from said outwardly ared flange.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTIQN Patent No 2,879,949 Marel?. 3ly 1959 Hansi Jordan It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of' the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 4, line 3o, for "elogated" read V elongated um; Oolumn 8, line' 1,

strike out "rolled" (SEAL) Attest:

KAEL AXLTNE@ Attesting Officer ROBERT O. WATSON COmmiSSiOner Of Patents 

